Clutch plate



Dec. 15, 1931. H. v. REED A 1,837,173

CLUTCH PLATE Filed March 7, 1929 Patented Dee. 15,.A 1931' UNITED STATES HAROLD V. REED, OF CHICAGO, IL/LINOIS, A

OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, A CORPORATION OF ILLINOIS SSIGN OR TO THE BORG & BECK COMPANY,

CLUTCH PLATE Application led March 7,

This invention relates to friction clutches of the kind wherein a friction plate driven member is interposed between two parts of a driving member and is adapted to be gripped or clamped by the parts under sufficient pressure to impart motion from the driving member to the driven member of the clutch. The invention isvparticularly desirable in a friction clutch for automotive vehicles.

The object of the invention is to provide a novel clutch plate having friction rings which will take hold smoothly and evenly throughout the contact area when pressure is initially applied and by a yielding but rapid progressive action make the clutch act quickly and eiiiciently without grabbing or jerking.

Another object of the invention is to provide a clutch plate with continuous friction rings and to make full engagement between the friction rings and the driving member throughout the application of pressure, whereby lto secure maximum efficiency in a rapid progressive movement and without uneven wear on the rings.

And a further object of the invention is to provide a clutch plate with friction rings mounted in a novel manner. one being relatively fixed on one side of the plate and the other being yieldinglv mounted on the other side of the plate and movable relatively to the fixed ring, the fastening means being located in adjacent relation to provide a desirable nniformitv in assembly and to avoid any tendency that the rings may have to bulge or distort.

And a still further obiect of the invention is to provide a clutch plate which will vield gentlv and progressively under the application of pressure in closing the clutch to prevent grabbing or jerking or other irregularity in the fri ctional engagement and which will also absorb vibrations from the engine and prevent them from being transmitted through the clutch to the transmission.

In the accompanying drawings illustrating a selected embodiment of the invention Fig. 1 is a side elevation of the clutch plate 1929. Serial No. 345,143.

showing one of the friction rings partly broken away. i

Fig. 2 is a sectional view on the line 2 2 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a sectional of Fig. 1. f

Fig. 4 is a sectional view on the line 4 4 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 5 is a sectional view on the line 5 5 of Fig. 1.

Referring to the drawings the clutch plate comprises a disk 6 mounted on a hub 7. The disk is divided into a plurality of sectors 8 by radial slots 9 which extend through the periphery of the disk and connect at their inner ends with transverse slots 10 at or about the middle thereof. These slots 10 are provided to enable the side margins 11 of the sectors to be bent bodily and laterall to olf-set position on one side of the disk. The central part 12 of the sector between the side margins 11, 11 remains in the plane of the disk and the portions 13 connecting the margins 11 with the central portions 12 are inclined to off-set the margins 11, Fig. 4. Each of the sectors is shaped as thus described, and as shown in Fig. 4 With its central portion located in the plane of the disk and its side margins off-set on the same side of the disk. A friction ring 14 is fastened by rivets 15 or other suitable fastening means to the central portion of each sector and this ring will lie fiat against the sectors to which it is rigidly fastened. Tongues 16 are formed in the sectors by Inaking horseshoe shaped cut-outs 17 in the sectors. These tongues are located alternately in the outer partof one sector and in the inner part of the next sector and they all extend annularly in the same direction. A friction ring 18 is fastened to these tongues by rivets 19 or other suitable fastening means. The tongues are bent outward but slightly less than the margins 11, 11 of the sectors to maintain a slight tension on the tongues at the rivets 19 to hold the ring 18 fiat against ..95 the sectors and under slight tension. The friction rings are fastened to each of the sectors in or about a radial line, the ring 14 being rigidlyfastened by the rivets 15 fiat against the sectors on one side of the disk and View on the line 3 3 the tongues 16 a jacent their free ends. The

ring 18 is yieldingly supported by the sector margins 11, 11 andby the tongues 16 in a position slightly off-set from the disk and 1t will yield gently and progressively under the aplication-of pressure in closing the clutch.

oth friction rings are supported throughout their width so that they will make contact over their entire area beginning with in1- tial pressure. able ring 18 will be bodily and will be accommodated by the tongues which will permit a limited annular shift in flattening out under pressure. The construction provides a uniformity of assembly and overcomes any tendency there may be fdr the friction rings to bulge or distort because each of the rings is fastened to each of the sectors and is thereby maintained as a whole' in proper position and sha e.

The side margins 11 of each sector are connected with the central portion by relatively wide bent or inclined connecting portions 13 which provide a soft yielding cushion for the movable friction ring 18 to produce a clutch which acts tnickly but softly and avoids grabbing, ier 'ng or other irregular clutch action.

The hub 7 side plates 21 are secured to this flange by bolts 22. The side plates overlap) the disk 6 and filler plates 23 are arranged etween the disk and the side plates. These filler plates may be loose or they may be fastened to the side plates or to the disk. The side plates, filler plates and disk are provided with alined openings 24 and coil springs 25 are arranged in these openings with the ends of the springs seated against the end walls of the openin. These springs form cushions between t e friction member and the hub member of the clutch plate and absorb vibrations and other noises originating in the engine or in the clutch and prevent them from being transmitted to the transmission or other parts of the vehicle. My improved clutch plate provides a cushion effect under the application of pressure in closing the clutch and in the release of pressure in opening the clutch, and it also provides a cushion intermediate of the friction member and the hub member .of the clutch plate whereby the clutch plate as a unit and by reason of its combined cushions operates not only to produce a clutch which will act quickly and softly but it will eliminate many noises and absorb many vibrations and noises and particularly period vibrations.

I have shown the invention in a simple form suitable for embodiment in an automotive clutch but I reserve the right to make all such changes in the form, construction and arrangement of parts as may be necessary or desirable to adapt the invention for other Any annular shift of the mov- A 'of the has a peripheral flange 20 and ing a. pluralit clutches, or for other purposes and the scope of the following claims.

,I claim 1. A clutch plate comprising bodying a plurality of sectors, sectors havin side margins offset on the within a disk em- `all of saidJ same side of t e disk and friction rings disposed on each side of said disk connected to each of said sectors.

2. A clutch plate comprising a bodying a plurality disk emof sectors having the side mar 'ns thereof odset on the same side\v of said dlsk, friction rings disposed on each side ofv said disk, and means for fastening said rings to said sectors. l y

3. A clutch plate embodying a plurality of sectors havin tongues thereon, a friction rin on one si e of said disk fastened to sai sectors and a Afriction ring on the other side of said disk fastened to said tongues.' disk hav- 4. A clutch plate comprising a ing a plurality of sectors, the side margins of all of said sectors being off-set on the same side of the disk, continuous friction rings varranged over said sectors on opposite sides disk, 'andn fastening devices connecting each ring with the central portion of each sector. p f

5. A clutch plate comprising a disk havof sectors, the side margins of all of sai sectors being off-set on theA same side of said disk, the central portion of all of the sectors lyin body of the disk, sector Aconnecting and t e portions of each the central portion with the side margins forming a relatively wide yielding connection supporting the margins in off-set relation to the body of the disk, continuous friction rings arranged over said seotors on opposite sides of the disk, and fasin the plane of the ios tening devices connecting each ring the central portion of each sector.

6. A clutch plate comprising a disk having a plurality of sectors, each sector having a tongue, a friction ring fastened on one side of said disk to said sectors, and Vanother friction ring fastened cn the other side of the disk to said tongues.

7. A clutch plate comprisingla disk having a plurality of sectors, eac sector having a tongue, continuous friction rings arranged on opposite sides of said disk over said sectors, means for fastening one friction ring to said tongues, and means fastening the other friction ring to said sectors, said fastening means being arranged in substantially radial lines on each sector.

8. A clutch plate comprising a disk having a plurality of sectors, the side margins of said sectors being off-set on one side of the disk, a friction ring fastened to the central portion of the sectors on one side of the disk, a tongue in each sector, and another friction ring supported on said off-set margins and fastened to said tongues.

9. A clutch plate comprising a disk having a .plurality of sectors, a continuous fric-v tion rin arranged over said sectors on one side of t e disk, the side margins `of said sectors being oif-set to support sald ring, tongues on said sectors, and means fastening said ring g to said tongues, said tongues beln off-set slihtly less than said margins so t at they wi be held slightly at tension at the fastening devices.

l0. A clutch plate embod 'ng a plurality of sectors, ton tongues on ad] acent of said sectors being out of circumferential alignment with `each other, a friction ring on one sideV of said dislrs fastened to said sectors, and a ,friction ring on the other side of said disk fastened to said tongues.

11. A clutch plate embodying a lurality of sectors, tongues on each of said) sectors, the tongues on adjacent of said sectors being out of circumferential alignment with each other, the tongues on alternate of said sectors being circumferentially aligned with each other, and a friction' ring on each side of said plate and fastened to said ton es.

. HAROLD V. REE

es on each o sa1d sectors, the 

